Christian Living

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Many pastors and Christian leaders continually recite Malachi 3:8-10 to support the teaching of tithing. Is this a good passage to use? It is also made reference to, at the total exclusion of many other verses throughout the Old and New Testaments that talk about giving. This results in a very unbalanced teaching.

Here is what Malachi 3:8-10 says. "Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, 'How have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,' says the Lord of Hosts, 'if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.'"

This verse is one of those that someone begins to quote to support a particular teaching or doctrine and then other people continue to use it.

Now, I have nothing against tithing, and it is a great way to give to a local church or other ministry. However, here is the problem. It is often used as a guage to determine a person's financial status or success. The verse also has a very negative tone to it. It says you are cursed if you do not tithe! According to this verse there are a lot of cursed Christians! In addition, there are many verses scattered throughout the Old and New Testaments that give an entirely different perspective on giving, but don't seem to be given equal emphasis.

Before going any further, it is necessary to establish the Old Testament religious context of this verse. In the book, DECISION MAKING AND THE WILL OF GOD, by Garry Friesen, ThD., former chairman of the Bible Department at Multnomah University in Portland, Oregon, several points are made about tithing on pages 357-358, which go against the grain of traditional thought. One, the tithe was part of the economic system of Israel, but it is not part of the economic system of the New Testament and contemporary Church. Two, the local church does not function as a "storehouse," as did the Temple. Three, the command to tithe is not carried over to the New Testament. I might add to these insights that the Malachi passage states that it was written to a nation, not individuals. There is also very little reference to tithing in the New Testament in comparison to how much emphasis is given to simply being a generous and sacrificial giver.

Here is a sampling of verses in the Old and New Testaments that talk about giving.

Leviticus 19:10 mentions leaving the droppings of the field for the poor.

Deuteronomy 14:22 and 28 says to tithe one's produce for the aliens, orphans, and widows.

Deuteronomy 15: 7-8, and 10-11 says to freely give to the poor generously, whatever they lack.

Deuteronomy 16:17 informs us to give as we are able.

Luke 6:38 simply says to be a generous giver.

Acts 2:45 states that we should consider selling our property and possessions to share with all who have need.

II Corinthians 8:2-3 and 9:6-7 emphasize giving generously as you have purposed in your heart.

The Malachi verses and others that mention tithing are few in comparison to the composite whole.

In addition, note the comparison between Malachi and II Corinthians 9:6-7. The Malachi passage emphasizes percentage and connects it with robbing God and as I said earlier, with being cursed if you do not tithe. The II Corinthians passage, however, encourages generous giving as each person has purposed in his or her heart to give, not under compulsion. The contrast could not be more striking and clear! This does not emphasize a percentage at all. So much for tithing, but a person might purpose to give at least 10 percent, or even more.

In fact, Garry Friesen points out on page 357 that there were three "tithes." Leviticus 27:30-33 mentions giving 10 percent of all one's possessions. A second tithe was given from remaining produce to contribute to a sacred meal at Jerusalem. (Deut. 12:17-18) The third tithe was collected every third year for the Levite priests, orphans, and widows. (Deut. 14: 28-29) These all totalled about 22 percent of one's income.

Based upon the previous listing of verses it can also be asked if anyone has an extra car for someone who is without? How about downsizing the home to help feed the hungry with the extra money?

There is certainly nothing wrong with tithing, but it is more biblical to simply think in terms of generous giving, and not just money, but possessions as well. Let's all just be generous givers and not be concerned with a percentage.

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